Whitney Vance McRae
February FOCUS Alumnus of the Month
Whitney Vance McRae was an active member of the FOCUS Program at Sylacauga High School and served as President of SHS’ FOCUS Program during her senior year.
Whitney graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2011 with a B.A. in Elementary Education and K-12 endorsements in English and Math. After teaching middle school math in the Jackson Public School System in Jackson, MS, Whitney earned a Master’s of Science degree in Athletic Administration in 2014. She worked in the athletic department at Mississippi College for nine years, serving as the Assistant Compliance Officer and Academic Advisor for Athletics. Whitney currently works for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a Program Analyst. Her responsibilities include creating communication products for the District Commander and other senior leaders, monitoring the status of Vicksburg District projects and developing information for use in briefing Congressional members or other political interests, and overseeing the schedule for fiscal year obligations, expenditures, and milestones. Whitney and her husband, Will, have been married since 2018 and live in Madison, MS.
Whitney shared her experience in FOCUS stating, “The opportunity to serve as SHS’ FOCUS Program President during my senior year allowed me to develop leadership skills, public speaking skills, conflict resolution skills, and gave me a greater compassion for those around me. These skills have proven invaluable to me and helped me as I have navigated through college and various career changes. Even now in my current job, I work for an organization whose main mission is to provide solutions to tough challenges that will benefit the communities within our district and the Nation as a whole. FOCUS provides high school students the chance to leave a lasting impact on their peers while developing skills that will make them a better friend, family member, citizen, and employee.”
